The " Activate Windows: Go to Settings to activte Windows" has popped up on my pc but I already have it.

Question

After a recent update on Windows 11, after a couple of minutes of everything being normal, I was surprised to see that an "Activate Windows" pop-up on the bottom right had appeared. The problem is that I've owned this PC for over a year and had already activated it. It's kind of annoying to have it just sitting there and I've been trying to find ways to remove it, but no luck. If anyone knows how to fix it, let me know. Maybe others have the same problem, so it might be useful for them as well.

Answer 1

Here's a list of possible solutions:

1. Re-enter Your Product Key If you are still having issues, try re-entering your product key:

• Open Settings: Press Windows + I.
• Go to Update & Security > Activation.
• Click on Change product key.
• Enter your product key and press Next.

If you don’t have the key handy, check your purchase email or the box for a physical copy of Windows.

2. Run the Activation Troubleshooter Windows has a built-in activation troubleshooter that can help fix any activation problems:

• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation.
• If Windows is not activated, you should see an option that says Troubleshoot.
• Click on Troubleshoot, and Windows will attempt to fix any activation issues automatically.

3. Reset the Activation Using Command Prompt Sometimes, you can use Command Prompt to force a reactivation:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

• Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Re-enter the activation command: Type the following command and press Enter:

   slmgr.vbs /rearm

This will reset the activation status and might remove the "Activate Windows" pop-up.

4. Check for Licensing Issues in the Event Viewer Sometimes the pop-up may be due to underlying issues with your license. You can check the Event Viewer for specific error codes related to activation:

• Press Windows + X, then choose Event Viewer.
• In the Event Viewer, expand Windows Logs > Application.
• Look for events related to activation or licensing (typically logged by the Software Protection Service).

If there are any error codes or issues, you can search for them online or contact Microsoft support.

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hth

Marcin

Answer 2

Hello,

The first thing you need to do is to check whether your machine is active or not, the steps are as follows:

Click on the “Start” menu and select “Settings”. Select “Update and Security”. In the left menu, click on “Activation”. On the Activation page, you can see the current activation status. If it shows “Windows Activated”, your machine is activated. In this case, ignore the pop-up window.

If it shows not activated, try the following steps:

1. Re-enter your product key.
2. Try phone activation. Select Start > Settings > System  > Activation. Under Activate Windows Now section, select Activate by Phone.
3. Uninstall the latest installed update and try to re-activate the system with the product key.

Hope this can help you.

Best Regards,

Hania Lian

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Answer 3

Hello,

In addition to already existing answers, you mentioned you upgraded your windows.

Now, did you upgrade from say home to pro? If yes, you might need to get another licence.